The Storm is Here!
The storm moved in early this morning and we already had 7″ of new at the base as of 5am. It’s been dumping consistently all day – as much as 4″ per hour!
Video shot by Squaw Valley Groomer Asa Moore at 6am this morning at the top of Siberia
High Winds Kept the Upper Mountains Closed
Extremely high winds have accompanied the heavy snowfall. At Squaw’s Summit (el. 8,700′) we saw wind gusts as high as 122mph!
NOAA wind sensor at Squaw Summit (el. 8700′)
As a result of increasing winds throughout the day, the upper mountains chairlifts did not open today. Our crews were able to open Red Dog, Squaw Creek, Far East and Exhibition at Squaw Valley and Roundhouse (until mid-day) at Alpine Meadows. The snow was really light, really deep and really fun!
It’s Not Over
The heavy snowfall continues!
Heavy snowfall is expected today with another foot+ expected on the mountain. That continues tonight but with colder air and higher snow ratios. That could bring another 2 feet overnight. For Friday we are expected lighter snowfall rates, but several more inches could accumulate. Then Friday night a 3rd wave of heavier snowfall moves through and could drop another foot of snow. Lingering snow showers into Saturday could add a few more inches. In total we are still expecting 3-5 feet of snow from this storm by Saturday night.“
– Bryan Allegreto’s weather blog
Friday Operations
With several feet of new snow by Friday morning, our teams will have a HUGE job of getting the mountains open in the morning. Our crews will be coming in as early as possible to re-build the safety roads, dig out chairlifts, run the lifts, put chairs back on detachable lifts, perform snow safety, and make sure the slopes are safe so we can enjoy the powder! Winds will remain high, but are forecasted to diminish slightly by Friday. Please note that Saturday, March 3 Dawn Patrol has been cancelled.
During this storm cycle, be sure to check real-time conditions and lift status via our Mobile App, Lift & Trail Status Page, and Mountain Ops Twitter. Please also stay tuned to the NOAA forecast & advisories in the area, and Caltrans Road Conditions. NOAA has issued a blizzard warning for the Greater Tahoe area in effect until tomorrow, so please use caution while traveling.
We’re looking forward to a lot more of this in our futures! Photo: Jeff Engerbretson from February 26, 2018
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